What are the benefits of outsourcing game development?

The world of game development has transformed significantly since the days of using scarce resources to create what were essentially 8-bit games.

23:51 19 April 2023

The world of game development has transformed significantly since the days of using scarce resources to create what were essentially 8-bit games. With advances in technology, game developers are now creating games with massive graphical depth and complexity. This level of sophistication, however, has its drawbacks – namely, the cost in terms of money and resources needed to create a successful game. As such, many developers have increasingly turned to outsourcing game development in order to save time, money and effort. This article examines the advantages that this practice offers and the various benefits of outsource game development.

Definition of Outsourcing Game Development

Outsourcing game development is the practice of hiring another company, or ‘outsourcing’, to create a game instead of doing the development in-house. This can take the form of a fixed-price project, where the developer pays a pre-agreed cost to have the game designed and coded. Alternatively, a developer can pay a contractor hourly wages. While outsourcing isn’t a new concept, it has become increasingly popular as a way to make games without having to invest a significant amount of money or effort.

Benefits of Outsourcing Game Development

The most obvious reason to outsource game development is cost-effectiveness. Outsourcing can save money in two ways. First, there are usually no recruitment costs involved – a big expense when looking to fill a game development position in-house. Second, hiring a freelancer or outsourcing company gives you access to experts in their field, meaning you get better quality work done faster. It is also more cost-effective than having to buy new hardware or software licenses to create a game. For example, hiring a developer who already knows how to use the latest engines such as Unity and Unreal can save you a lot of money over buying the licenses.

Specialized Talent

Another benefit of outsourcing is access to specialized talent. When you hire a freelancer or an outsourcing company, you’re tapping into the skills of experienced professionals who are specialists in their field. These experts can help you with specific tasks, such as graphics design or coding, without needing to invest in an internal team.

This also offers the advantage of continuity – with outsourcing, you don’t have to start from scratch and build up a team of developers. You simply hire the same specialist for each task, giving you consistent results.

Access to New Technology

The industry moves quickly, and staying up to date with the latest trends and technologies can be expensive and time-consuming. When you outsource game development, however, you have access to experts who already have the necessary skills and experience to work with current platforms and technologies. As they are already familiar with the software and tools, development can move at a quicker pace, resulting in faster release times.

Shortened Development Time

Finally, outsourcing game development can lead to a faster development time. Again, this is due to the specialist knowledge and software expertise of the freelancer or outsourcing company. As they already have access to the necessary tools and technologies, they can quickly develop the game and get it ready for release. This reduces the time between the project proposal and launch, meaning the game can reach the market much faster.

Conclusion

Outsourcing game development is an increasingly popular practice and it offers numerous benefits for developers. From cost-effectiveness and specialized talent to access to new technologies and shorter development times, it’s clear that outsourcing can provide a really effective solution for game development. Whether you’re an indie developer or a bigger studio, outsourcing game development is an option that is worth considering.